The Washington Redskins are reportedly going to have Kirk Cousins start in Week 1.
Following the surprising news that Robert Griffin III was pulled as the starter in Week 3 of the preseason due to lingering effects of his concussion, rumors have surfaced that the team isn’t planning on trying to rush him back for the start of the season.
Sources say the plan is not only to start Kirk Cousins tonight in Baltimore, but also week 1 against Miami.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 29, 2015
For those who have been following this story, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. In the first place, the news of the independent neurologist stopping RG3 from playing in Week 3 seemed more like a ruse to allow the team to move on, rather than an attempt at keeping the quarterback from getting hurt.
After all, Griffin was supposedly “fine” and was cleared by team doctors and practiced all week long.
However, it’s been clear this summer that the RG3 experiment continues to be a failure in Washington. He hasn’t garnered the support of the locker room, hasn’t picked up the offense as quickly as head coach Jay Gruden needs him to and has been atrocious on the field.
ESPN’s Ed Werder appears to confirm these suspicions, saying a source close to the situation believes general manager Scot McCloughan is “determined to change team culture and must move on” from Griffin.
One #NFL source who knows #Washington GM Scot McCloughan well says he's determined to change team culture and must move on from @RGIII
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) August 29, 2015
Nobody knows if Cousins, or Colt McCoy, for that matter, will be the quarterback of the future for Washington. What we do know is that the team’s decision-makers are not happy with Griffin at this point in time.
On the heels of the team picking up Griffin’s fifth-year option, worth $16 million, for the 2016 season, this is a massive change of direction for the franchise. One wonders if RG3 will play another down in Washington, at this point.